Inventory of the Papers of George and Mitzi Naohara SPC.2017.011
Yoko Okunishi
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
2019
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
archives@csudh.edu
Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: George and Mitzi Naohara Papers
Creator:
Naohara, George, 1919-2014
Creator:
Naohara, Mitzi, 1923-2021
Creator:
Yoshimura, Eileen
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2017.011
Physical Description:
13 boxes
(6 flat binder boxes, 3 document boxes, 2 short top boxes, 1 flat box, and 1 carton, including DVDs)
Physical Description:
9.03 Linear Feet
(13 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1902-2010; undated
Date (bulk): 1942-1945
Date (bulk): 1950-1959
Abstract: This collection contains photo albums and scrapbooks compiled by George Naohara and Mitzi (Masukawa) Naohara, other materials
depicting their experiences during World War II and the Korean War, the postwar camp reunion and pilgrimage, and the Gardena
Buddhist Church activities in which George Naohara engaged after the war. Most of the items in this collection have been digitized
and available online.
Material Specific Details: English translations, synopses, and brief descriptions for Japanese language materials are available at the CSU Japanese American
Digitization Project site.
Language of Material:
English
, Japanese
.
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
In 2015, Mitzi Naohara donated to the Gerth Archives and Special Collections, "Butsudan," a Buddhist altar made by hand by
her brother-in-law in the Jerome camp in Arkansas during the war; two photo albums and scrapbooks in 2018; books, DVDs, film
wheels, and a happi coat and belt in 2019.
In 2019, Eileen Yoshimura, a daughter of George and Mitzi Naohara, agreed to donate to the Gerth Archives and Special Collections,
the documents which consist of her family papers and term papers along with audio cassette tapes prepared for a history class
in 1974 when she was a student at CSU Dominguez Hills. She conducted interviews with her parents, uncle, and aunt and collected
and analyzed their incarceration experiences during the war.
Additional items were donated to the Gerth Archives and Special Collections by Eileen Yoshimura in 2021 after Mitzi Naohara's
passing. Included are materials regarding George and Mitzi Naohara's claims for the losses of their real and personal property
filed under the Act of July 2, 1948, Gardena Buddhist Church activities, and postwar camp pilgrimage and reunion.
Availability of Digital Reproductions
Arrangement
Arranged in four series:
- Immigration, World War II incarceration, and Korean War experiences
- Postwar camp reunion and pilgrimage
- Postwar Gardena Buddhist Church and Shinto activities
- Gardena Buddhist Church, Buddhist Church of America, and other publications
Biographical / Historical
George Nobuo Naohara (1919 August 17–2014 June 30) was Kibei Nisei, who was born in the United States, educated in Japan,
and returned to Los Angeles, California prior to World War II. He left Japan, following in his uncle's footsteps but struck
out on his own. He met the Masukawa family in Los Angeles and learned that Mrs. Koyuta Masukawa was a relative of his acquaintance
and originally immigrated from Hiroshima, Japan, from which he also had come. He became a close friend to the family and married
Mitzi Masukawa (1923 March 16-2021 January 11), one of the family's daughters, later.
He was one of the earlier group of incarcerees who were sent to the Manzanar incarceration camp in California during the war,
and met other Kibei Nisei men in the camp. He and his Kibei Nisei friends were granted the permit to leave for work and worked
in labor farms in Idaho and Utah. During his labor contract, he met one of the Masukawa family members who had been incarcerated
in the Jerome incarceration camp in Arkansas, and decided to "reinduction" to the Jerome camp, instead returning to the Manzanar
camp. He requested for reinduction, claiming that he became unable to work due to disability. He was incarcerated in the Jerome
camp as he wished but applied for repatriation/expatriation to Japan, and was transferred to the Tule Lake Segregation Center
in California. After the war ended, he did not return to Japan but settled in Chicago, Illinois. During the Allied Occupation
of Japan, he learned that no one but military personnel were allowed to contact his/her family members in Japan. Since his
mother was ill and had remained in Japan, he decided to join the U.S. Army, hoping to see her, and attended the language training
school in California. He was stationed in Japan after the training, served for the Korean War as a MIS interpreter, and was
discharged due to his illness at the end. Later, he operated a barbershop with his wife in Gardena, California, and also was
devoted to Buddhist Church activities for his whole life.
Tomosuke Masukawa was an Issei immigrant and arrived at Tacoma, Washington in 1898. He was a railroad worker for the Santa
Fe Railroad, a coalminer in Montana, and a farm labor in Fresno, California. Later, he moved to Los Angeles and farmed in
Southern California. Koyuta Masukawa was a picture bride and sent to him in 1909, and their eight children were born in California.
The Masukawa family resided in Long Beach, California prior to the war and left for Reedley, California, fleeing from the
exclusion. However, the family received the order and was imprisoned in the Poston camp in Arizona, later. During her incarceration,
Mitzi (Masukawa) Naohara was a preschool teacher and joined activities of a young Nisei women's club, "Sigma Debs," which
mainly consisted of female basketball players at Reedley High School.
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
Some of the film reels were digitized by the donor and the transferred digitized moving images were normalized to the MXF
format for preservation. The access derivatives were produced in the MP4 format.
The collection was processed and English translations, synopses and brief descriptions for Japanese language materials were
prepared by Yoko Okunishi.
Digital Reproductions
The Gerth Archives and Special Collections created digital reproductions from original items for long-term preservation and
electronic access, adhering to best practice and standards to ensure the authenticity, integrity, and security of material.
Some access files have been redacted to protect personal identifiable information and others have been compressed for greater
efficiency online. For more information on digitization process, please see
CSU Japanese American Digitization Project technical reference guide .
Some of the items in this collection have been digitized. The set of digital reproduction preservation files along with normalized
moving image files is stored on the Gerth Archives and Special Collections' department drive for both preservation purposes
and duplication requests. The entire pages of the four albums were digitized to preserve the structures and compilation prior
to being dismantled. The digital reproduction files are saved on the department' drive for preservation purposes only.
The set of digital reproduction access files (access derivatives) created for the digital management system is stored on the
Gerth Archives and Special Collections' department external drive for staff use.
One of the audio materials in the collection has been digitized by the California Audiovisual Preservation Project (CAVPP)
and available at
Internet Archive .
CSU Japanese American Digitization Project
This collection is part of the California State University Japanese American Digitization Project. Other collections about
the history of Japanese Americans are found in the digital repository:
CSU Japanese American Digitization Project .
Atsushi Art Ishida Collection
Atsushi Art Ishida is Kibei Nisei and a close friend of George Naohara. They both were incarcerated in the same camps during
the war and participated in Korean War. The two collections are intermingled because of their shared experiences. For the
further information, please see
the Atsushi Art Ishida Collection finding aid .
Scope and Contents
The George and Mitzi Naohara Papers consists of photo albums and scrapbooks compiled by George and Mitzi Naohara, and other
materials pertaining to the Naohara and Masukawa family. Included are photographs, correspondence, and documents depicting
their experiences during World War II, photographs taken during the U.S. Army language school training and the Korean War,
and books, moving images (film reels and DVDs), and artifacts representing George Naohara's participation in the Gardena Buddhist
Church activities after the war.
George Naohara is Kibei Nisei, and his wartime experiences include his farm labor in Idaho and Utah; and incarceration in
the Manzanar, Jerome, and Tule Lake camps. Mitzi Naohara was a preschool teacher at the Poston camp in Arizona, and also joined
activates of a young Nisei women's club, "Sigma Debs." Her memorabilia depicts her life as a teacher and social events in
the Poston camp during the war.
Separated Materials
The collection includes the following books which were separately cataloged. The cataloging records are available through
the CSUDH Library catalog and WorldCat:
- Goldstein, Donald M., and Harry J. Maihafer. 2000.
The Korean War: the story and photographs. Washington, D.C.: Brassey's. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/43095745
- United States. 1987.
Colorado River Relocation Center, Poston, Arizona: 1942-1945. [Place of publication not identified]: TecCom Productions. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/20283387
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of the Gerth
Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Gerth Archives and Special Collections
as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must
also be obtained.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Japanese Americans -- Evacuation and relocation, 1944-1945 -- Archives
Japanese Americans -- History -- 20th century
Korean War, 1950-1953
Buddhism
Japanese Americans -- California -- Los Angeles -- Religious life and customs
Naohara, George, 1919-2014 -- Archives
Naohara, Mitzi, 1923-2021 -- Archives
Military Intelligence Service Language School (U.S.)
Manzanar Incarceration Camp
Tule Lake Segregation Center
Jerome Incarceration Camp
Poston Incarceration Camp
Immigration, World War II incarceration, and Korean War experiences
1902 February 20-1956; 1974 March 21-December 12; 1983 May 12;
1942-1945
Physical Description: 7 boxes
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Scope and Contents
This series contains materials documenting the Masukawa family's immigration and incarceration experiences as well as George
Naohara's incarceration, U.S. Army language school training, and Korean War experiences. Included are albums and scrapbooks
compiled by George and Mitzi Naohara, certificates, a passport, receipts, WRA forms, alien registration receipt card, ID cards,
correspondence, and permits which were issued to the Masukawa and Naohara family, and a Buddhist altar made by hand by one
of the family members in the Jerome camp in Arkansas.
There are documents issued by U.S. Department of Justice Claims Division and National Archives and Records Service after the
war, responding to George and Mitzi Naohara's inquiries. Under the Act of July 2, 1948, the Naoharas filed the claims for
the losses of their real and personal property caused by the incarceration.
There are also term papers along with audio cassette tapes created by Eileen Naohara, who is a daughter of George and Mitzi
Naohara. She submitted them to Prof. Donald T. Hata when she was a student at CSU Dominguez Hills in 1974. She conducted interviews
with her parents, uncle, and aunt, and collected and analyzed their stories about their incarceration experiences during World
War II.
box 1
George Naohara photo album
1942-1956
Physical Description: 1 box
Language of Material: English.
box 2
Mitzi Naohara photo album
1942-1945
Physical Description: 1 box
Language of Material: English.
box 3
Mitzi Naohara scrapbook
1942-1945
Physical Description: 1 box
Language of Material: English.
box 11
Mitzi Naohara scrapbook
undated
Physical Description: 1 box
Scope and Contents
Material is Mitzi Naohara's scrapbook including patterns which she had collected since sewing school in Little Tokyo prior
to the war and brought with her during and after the war.
box 4
George Naohara scrapbook: Korean War and before leaving Japan
1947-1951
Physical Description: 1 box
Language of Material: English.
box 5, folder 1-6, 12
Tomosuke and Koyuta Masukawa immigration records, a family photo, and others
1902 February 20-1938 November 12; 1965 September 20
Physical Description: 7 folders
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Scope and Contents
Contain materials regarding Tomosuke and Koyuta Masukawa's immigration. Included are an inspection card, certificate of registration,
certificate of inoculation, Imperial Japanese Government passport, alien tax receipt, and a paper framed family photograph
probably taken in Japan in 1915. There are also Tomosuke Masukawa's receipts for U.S. Postal money order, Moneta Commercial
Bank book, and his death certificate.
box 5, folder 7-11, 16
Masukawa family's wartime documents
1942-1945 September 24
Physical Description: 6 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Contain documents issued to Tomosuke and Koyuta Masukawa during World War II. Included are an alien registration receipt card
(Form AR-3) and certificate of identification (Form AR-AE-23), certificate change of residence notice (Form PM-2), registration
certificate (D.S.S. Form 2), government property release for evacuees (WRA-Colo.River-86), civilian message form (Form 1616)
by American Red Cross, and alien's travel permits (WRA-394). There is also a class note complied by Mitzi Masukawa during
her incarceration.
box 5, folder 13-15
George Naohara's wartime documents
1942-1945
Physical Description: 3 folders
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Contain ID cards, certificates, notices, letters, permits, and other documents regarding George Nobuo Naohara's work and leave
clearance during the war. Materials were issued by California Department of Employment, War Relocation Authority, United States
Employment Service, and Farm Security Administration. There are documents regarding his transfer to the Tule Lake Segregation
Center, including a copy of his letter addressing the Spanish Embassy to apply for expatriation to Japan from the Tule Lake
camp. There are also documents issued by the Selective Service System Local Board No. 277 with blank forms of the "loyalty
questionnaire" responding to his answers to the questionnaire.
box 5, folder 17-18
Other wartime documents
1942 January 2; 1942-1945
Creator: Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968
Creator: Post War World Council
Physical Description: 2 items(1 blank card and 1 pamphlet)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Contained are a booklet, "Democracy and Japanese Americans," written by Norman Thomas, describing the forced evacuation and
incarceration of people of Japanese ancestry during World War II; and a blank form of "Change of residence" report card whose
return address is: Mr. Dillon S. Myer, Director, War Relocation Authority, Barr Building, Washington 25, D.C. Form WAR-148C.
rev.
box 5, folder 21-25
US Department of Justice Claims Division and National Archives and Records Service correspondence
1951 June 19-December 6; 1983 May 12
1951 June 19-December 6
Language of Material: English.
box 5, folder 19-20
Oral history interviews
1974 March 21; 1974 December 12;
Physical Description: 2 folders(2 documents and 2 audio cassettes)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
Two term papers, "A Kibei's view of life in relocation camps during WWII" and "Life in camp: three different views," along
with audio cassette tapes prepared by Eileen Naohara Yoshimura, who is a daughter of George and Mitzi Naohara. She submitted
them to Prof. Donald T. Hata when she was a student at CSU Dominguez Hills. She conducted interviews with her parents, uncle,
and aunt, and collected and analyzed their stories about their incarceration experiences during World War II.
box 8
Buddhist altar
1942-1945
Physical Description: 1 box
Scope and Contents
Contained is a Buddhist alter which was made by hand by Mitzi Naohara's brother-in-law while he was incarcerated in the Jerome
camp in Arkansas.
Postwar camp reunion and pilgrimage
1981-2005
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains materials pertaining to the postwar camp reunion and pilgrimage, which were collected by George and Mitzi
Naohara. Included are a Manzanar pilgrimage booklet, Poston camp reunion booklets, photographs, clippings, a roster of reunion
participants, pamphlets, and brochures. There is also a 1989 calendar which includes images from the several incarceration
camps, such as, Poston, Heart Mountain, Tule Lake, Manzanar, Granada, and Santa Fe New Mexico and was compiled by the Southern
District Special Projects Committee, and an illustration booklet titled "Camp Days 1942-1945" by Chizuko Judy Sugita de Queiroz.
box 5, folder 26
Manzanar pilgrimage
1981
Language of Material: English.
box 5, folder 27-32
Poston camp reunion
1985 April-1997
Language of Material: English.
box 9, folder 1
1989 calendar
1989
Language of Material: English.
box 9, folder 2
Camp days 1942-1945
2004
Language of Material: English.
box 9, folder 3
Newspaper clippings
2005 May 18-28
Language of Material: English.
Postwar Gardena Buddhist Church and Shinto activities
1963-1982; undated
Physical Description: 6 boxes(10 film reels and 5 DVDs; documents; artifacts)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains materials documenting the Gardena Buddhist Church and Shinto events and activities in which George Naohara
was involved after the war. Included are the moving images (ten film reels and five DVDs), albums and photographs, and documents
for the Gardena Buddhist Church hondo (main hall) and social hall dedication services, bon dance, hanamatsuri (festivals),
a visit of Keiro (a residential care home for the elderly), and a Shinto conference in San Diego. The Gardena Buddhist Church
was torched in 1980s and the moving images capture the fire damage and reconstruction. Some of them were filmed by George
Naohara. DVDs are digital reproductions of some of the films reels (reels 1-5). There are also a happi coat with a belt which
he wore for the activities and Japanese fans that were used for the bon dance summer events.
box 12, box 13, drawer 3.8, folder 1
Gardena Buddhist Church albums and photographs
1956-2004; undated
1956-2004, bulk 1962-2003
Scope and Contents
Albums, loose leaves from an album, loose photographs, and panoramas document the members and activities of the Gardena Buddhist
Church in which George Naohara engaged during the post-war period. Included are the dedication services, the 50th and 60th
anniversary events, the board members and the reverends, and the main building damaged by fire in July 1980. There are also
a number of photographs depicting their social events and activities, such as, new year's parties, picnics, karaoke competition,
hanamatsuri, and performances. Panoramas are group photographs of the 50th anniversary (October 10, 1976), 60th anniversary
(June 1, 1986), and Hondo Building dedication (August 22, 1982) taken by the Toyo Miyatake Studio and a portrait of a reverend.
box 6, reel 1-9, box 6, case 1-5
Gardena Buddhist Church moving images
1963-1982; undated
Physical Description: 9 Reels
Physical Description: 5 items(5 DVDs)
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Scope and Contents
Materials are moving images capturing the Gardena Buddhist Church events and activities. The original reels 1-5 were digitized
and saved on DVDs by the donor.
Inventory of Reels
- Reel 1: Gardena Buddhist Church hondo (main hall) dedication service and entertainments, 1963-1970
- Reel 2: New social hall dedication service, 1978-1979
- Reel 3: Fire damage, July 1980
- Reel 4: Reconstruction, 1981
- Reel 5: Landscaping and dedication day events, August 1982
- Reel 6: Keirokai event on March 7, 1971
- Reel 7: 2nd language school picnic, undated
- Reel 8: Obon dance and Hanamatsuri, undated
- Reel 9: Hanamatsuri, Spring plant, Eileen speech contest, Fire and felled ladder, undated
box 9, folder 4-8
Gardena Buddhist Church documents
1976 April 12-2011 August 10
Physical Description: 5 folders
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Scope and Contents
Materials are a scrapbook compiled by George Naohara; programs, brochures, and meeting minutes regarding Gardena Buddhist
Church new hondo (main hall) dedication service; event programs; service guidelines and practices, songs, and daily creed
of Jodo Shinshu; and a Shinshu handbook distributed to commemorate Gardena Buddhist Women Association 45th anniversary.
box 6, reel 10
Shinto conference in San Diego
1975
Physical Description: 1 Reels
Language of Material: English.
box 7
George Naohara's happi coat and belt
Physical Description: 2 items
Language of Material: English.
box 8
Japanese fans for Gardena Buddhist Church bon dance events
Physical Description: 3 items
Gardena Buddhist Church, Buddhist Church of America, and other publications
1963-2010
Physical Description: 2 boxes
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains published items mainly by Gardena Buddhist Church and Buddhist Church of America, including anniversary
books for the Gardena Buddhist Church and its affiliated Japanese language school, and a clipping (portrait) from a magazine,
an issue of a bulletin, brochure, handbook, and books published by Buddhist Church of America.
There are also two autobiography books by George Naohara's friends, George Susumu Ota and Ted T. Miyamoto, documenting their
experiences during incarceration and after the attack on Pearl Harbor respectively, "Japanese American Korean War Veterans:
May 23-26, 1997 souvenir book," and an issue of "The town magazine," which was one of local community magazines in Los Angeles,
featuring the history of the Japanese American community in Gardena. Photographs, which capture the author with George and
Mitzi Naohara in front of "George's Barber Shop" in his later years, are pasted on Ted T. Miyamoto's autobiography book.
box 9, folder 9
Gardena Buddhist Church 1963 dedication
1963
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
box 9, folder 10
Shining wheel, Gardena Buddhist Church and affiliated organizations directory: 20th anniversary edition dedicated to our Buddhist
Sunday School children
1973
Physical Description: 1 volume
Language of Material: English.
box 9, folder 11
50th anniversary, 1926-1976 Gardena Buddhist Church
1976
Physical Description: 1 volume
Language of Material: English.
box 9, folder 12
50th anniversary Gardena Buddhist Church [Japanese language school] 1928-1978
1978
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
box 9, folder 13
Gardena Buddhist Church 1926-1986 60th anniversary
1986
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
box 9, folder 14
1926-2001 75th anniversary Gardena Buddhist Church
2001
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
box 10, folder 1
Portrait of Shinran Shonin
undated
Physical Description: 1 items
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
box 10, folder 2
A guide to Buddhist etiquette
undated
Physical Description: 1 items
Language of Material: English.
box 10, folder 3
Shin Buddhist handbook
1972
Physical Description: 1 volume
Language of Material: English.
box 10, folder 4
Dharma talks of the four seasons
1984 July 25
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
box 10, folder 5
Wheel of Dharma = 法輪, vol. 24, issue 4
1997 April
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
box 10, folder 6
浄土真宗門徒必須 [a handbook for Shin Buddhist]
1970
Language of Material: Japanese.
box 10, folder 7
George Susumu Ota autobiography
circa 1994
Language of Material: English.
box 10, folder 8
Talk story: growing up on a sugar plantation
2010
Physical Description: 1 volume
Language of Material: English.
General
Photographs and correspondence are attached.
box 10, folder 9
Japanese American Korean War Veterans: May 23-26, 1997 souvenir book
1997
Physical Description: 1 volume
Language of Material: English.
box 10, folder 10
The town magazine, vol. 11, no. 8 (= no. 88)
1984 August 5
Language of Material: Japanese.
